Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 18, 2026

Scheveningen system

The Scheveningen system is a method of organizing a chess match between two teams. Each player on one team plays each player on the other team. The team with the highest number of games won is the winner. This system was a popular way to create title norm opportunities. However, effective from March 2024, it is no longer be possible to achieve title norms from Scheveningen tournaments.

Last revised
Jun 18, 2026
Read time
≈ 6 min
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Source
Wikipedia ↗
Final standings of Kings vs. Queens 2011, tournament under Scheveningen system. source ↗

The Scheveningen system (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈsxeːvənɪŋə(n)] ⓘ) is a method of organizing a chess match between two teams. Each player on one team plays each player on the other team.1 The team with the highest number of games won is the winner. This system was a popular way to create title norm opportunities.2 However, effective from March 2024, it is no longer be possible to achieve title norms from Scheveningen tournaments. 3

The system was first used in a tournament in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1923. The idea behind it was that a team of ten Dutch players could face ten foreign masters. This has the intention of giving the players on the team experience against strong competition.4

Standard Scheveningen Tables

Match on 2 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2
Round 2 B2-A1 B1-A2


Match on 3 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 B3-A3
Round 2 B2-A1 A2-B3 B1-A3
Round 3 A1-B3 B1-A2 A3-B2


Match on 4 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 B3-A3 B4-A4
Round 2 B2-A1 B1-A2 A3-B4 A4-B3
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 B1-A3 B2-A4
Round 4 B4-A1 B3-A2 A3-B2 A4-B1


Match on 5 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 B4-A4 B5-A5
Round 2 B2-A1 B3-A2 A3-B4 A4-B5 B1-A5
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 B5-A3 B1-A4 A5-B2
Round 4 B4-A1 A2-B5 A3-B1 B2-A4 B3-A5
Round 5 A1-B5 B1-A2 B2-A3 A4-B3 A5-B4


Match on 6 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 B2-A2 B3-A3 A4-B4 B5-A5 A6-B6
Round 2 B2-A1 A2-B3 A3-B5 B6-A4 A5-B4 B1-A6
Round 3 A1-B3 B5-A2 B1-A3 A4-B2 A5-B6 B4-A6
Round 4 B4-A1 B6-A2 A3-B2 A4-B1 B3-A5 A6-B5
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B4 A3-B6 B3-A4 B1-A5 B2-A6
Round 6 B6-A1 A2-B1 B4-A3 B5-A4 A5-B2 A6-B3


Match on 7 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 A4-B4 B5-A5 B6-A6 B7-A7
Round 2 B2-A1 B3-A2 B4-A3 A4-B5 A5-B6 A6-B7 B1-A7
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 A3-B5 B6-A4 B7-A5 B1-A6 A7-B2
Round 4 B4-A1 B5-A2 A3-B6 A4-B7 A5-B1 B2-A6 B3-A7
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B6 B7-A3 B1-A4 B2-A5 A6-B3 A7-B4
Round 6 B6-A1 A2-B7 A3-B1 A4-B2 B3-A5 B4-A6 B5-A7
Round 7 A1-B7 B1-A2 B2-A3 B3-A4 A5-B4 A6-B5 A7-B6


Match on 8 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 A4-B4 B5-A5 B6-A6 B7-A7 B8-A8
Round 2 B2-A1 B3-A2 B4-A3 B1-A4 A5-B6 A6-B7 A7-B8 A8-B5
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 A3-B1 A4-B2 B7-A5 B8-A6 B5-A7 B6-A8
Round 4 B4-A1 B1-A2 B2-A3 B3-A4 A5-B8 A6-B5 A7-B6 A8-B7
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B6 A3-B7 A4-B8 B1-A5 B2-A6 B3-A7 B4-A8
Round 6 B6-A1 B7-A2 B8-A3 B5-A4 A5-B2 A6-B3 A7-B4 A8-B1
Round 7 A1-B7 A2-B8 A3-B5 A4-B6 B3-A5 B4-A6 B1-A7 B2-A8
Round 8 B8-A1 B5-A2 B6-A3 B7-A4 A5-B4 A6-B1 A7-B2 A8-B3


Match on 9 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 A4-B4 A5-B5 B6-A6 B7-A7 B8-A8 B9-A9
Round 2 B2-A1 B3-A2 B4-A3 B5-A4 A5-B6 A6-B7 A7-B8 A8-B9 B1-A9
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 A3-B5 A4-B6 B7-A5 B8-A6 B9-A7 B1-A8 A9-B2
Round 4 B4-A1 B5-A2 B6-A3 A4-B7 A5-B8 A6-B9 A7-B1 B2-A8 B3-A9
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B6 A3-B7 B8-A4 B9-A5 B1-A6 B2-A7 A8-B3 A9-B4
Round 6 B6-A1 B7-A2 A3-B8 A4-B9 A5-B1 A6-B2 B3-A7 B4-A8 B5-A9
Round 7 A1-B7 A2-B8 B9-A3 B1-A4 B2-A5 B3-A6 A7-B4 A8-B5 A9-B6
Round 8 B8-A1 A2-B9 A3-B1 A4-B2 A5-B3 B4-A6 B5-A7 B6-A8 B7-A9
Round 9 A1-B9 B1-A2 B2-A3 B3-A4 B4-A5 A6-B5 A7-B6 A8-B7 A9-B8


Match on 10 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 A4-B4 B5-A5 B6-A6 B7-A7 A8-B8 B9-A9 B10-A10
Round 2 B2-A1 B1-A2 B8-A3 B3-A4 A5-B10 A6-B5 A7-B6 B4-A8 A9-B7 A10-B9
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B8 A3-B4 A4-B10 B6-A5 B7-A6 B9-A7 A8-B1 B2-A9 B5-A10
Round 4 B4-A1 B3-A2 B10-A3 A4-B6 A5-B7 B8-A6 A7-B5 A8-B9 B1-A9 A10-B2
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B4 B9-A3 B7-A4 B1-A5 A6-B10 B8-A7 B2-A8 A9-B3 A10-B6
Round 6 B6-A1 A2-B7 A3-B1 A4-B9 A5-B8 A6-B2 B10-A7 B5-A8 B4-A9 B3-A10
Round 7 A1-B7 B5-A2 B2-A3 B1-A4 B4-A5 B9-A6 A7-B3 A8-B10 A9-B6 A10-B8
Round 8 B8-A1 B6-A2 A3-B5 A4-B2 A5-B9 A6-B1 A7-B4 B3-A8 B10-A9 B7-A10
Round 9 A1-B9 A2-B10 A3-B7 B5-A4 B2-A5 B3-A6 B1-A7 A8-B6 A9-B8 B4-A10
Round 10 B10-A1 B9-A2 B6-A3 B8-A4 A5-B3 A6-B4 A7-B2 B7-A8 A9-B5 A10-B1


Match on 11 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 A4-B4 A5-B5 A6-B6 B7-A7 B8-A8 B9-A9 B10-A10 B11-A11
Round 2 B2-A1 B3-A2 B4-A3 B5-A4 B6-A5 A6-B7 A7-B8 A8-B9 A9-B10 A10-B11 B1-A11
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 A3-B5 A4-B6 A5-B7 B8-A6 B9-A7 B10-A8 B11-A9 B1-A10 A11-B2
Round 4 B4-A1 B5-A2 B6-A3 B7-A4 A5-B8 A6-B9 A7-B10 A8-B11 A9-B1 B2-A10 B3-A11
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B6 A3-B7 A4-B8 B9-A5 B10-A6 B11-A7 B1-A8 B2-A9 A10-B3 A11-B4
Round 6 B6-A1 B7-A2 B8-A3 A4-B9 A5-B10 A6-B11 A7-B1 A8-B2 B3-A9 B4-A10 B5-A11
Round 7 A1-B7 A2-B8 A3-B9 B10-A4 B11-A5 B1-A6 B2-A7 B3-A8 A9-B4 A10-B5 A11-B6
Round 8 B8-A1 B9-A2 A3-B10 A4-B11 A5-B1 A6-B2 A7-B3 B4-A8 B5-A9 B6-A10 B7-A11
Round 9 A1-B9 A2-B10 B11-A3 B1-A4 B2-A5 B3-A6 B4-A7 A8-B5 A9-B6 A10-B7 A11-B8
Round 10 B10-A1 A2-B11 A3-B1 A4-B2 A5-B3 A6-B4 B5-A7 B6-A8 B7-A9 B8-A10 B9-A11
Round 11 A1-B11 B1-A2 B2-A3 B3-A4 B4-A5 B5-A6 A7-B6 A8-B7 A9-B8 A10-B9 A11-B10


Match on 12 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 A4-B4 A5-B5 A6-B6 B7-A7 B8-A8 B9-A9 B10-A10 B11-A11 B12-A12
Round 2 B2-A1 B3-A2 B4-A3 B5-A4 B6-A5 B1-A6 A7-B8 A8-B9 A9-B10 A10-B11 A11-B12 A12-B7
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 A3-B5 A4-B6 A5-B1 A6-B2 B9-A7 B10-A8 B11-A9 B12-A10 B7-A11 B8-A12
Round 4 B4-A1 B5-A2 B6-A3 B1-A4 B2-A5 B3-A6 A7-B10 A8-B11 A9-B12 A10-B7 A11-B8 A12-B9
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B6 A3-B1 A4-B2 A5-B3 A6-B4 B11-A7 B12-A8 B7-A9 B8-A10 B9-A11 B10-A12
Round 6 B6-A1 B1-A2 B2-A3 B3-A4 B4-A5 B5-A6 A7-B12 A8-B7 A9-B8 A10-B9 A11-B10 A12-B11
Round 7 A1-B7 A2-B8 A3-B9 A4-B10 A5-B11 A6-B12 B1-A7 B2-A8 B3-A9 B4-A10 B5-A11 B6-A12
Round 8 B8-A1 B9-A2 B10-A3 B11-A4 B12-A5 B7-A6 A7-B2 A8-B3 A9-B4 A10-B5 A11-B6 A12-B1
Round 9 A1-B9 A2-B10 A3-B11 A4-B12 A5-B7 A6-B8 B3-A7 B4-A8 B5-A9 B6-A10 B1-A11 B2-A12
Round 10 B10-A1 B11-A2 B12-A3 B7-A4 B8-A5 B9-A6 A7-B4 A8-B5 A9-B6 A10-B1 A11-B2 A12-B3
Round 11 A1-B11 A2-B12 A3-B7 A4-B8 A5-B9 A6-B10 B5-A7 B6-A8 B1-A9 B2-A10 B3-A11 B4-A12
Round 12 B12-A1 B7-A2 B8-A3 B9-A4 B10-A5 B11-A6 A7-B6 A8-B1 A9-B2 A10-B3 A11-B4 A12-B5


Match on 13 Boards

Round 1 A1-B1 A2-B2 A3-B3 A4-B4 A5-B5 A6-B6 A7-B7 B8-A8 B9-A9 B10-A10 B11-A11 B12-A12 B13-A13
Round 2 B2-A1 B3-A2 B4-A3 B5-A4 B6-A5 B7-A6 A7-B8 A8-B9 A9-B10 A10-B11 A11-B12 A12-B13 B1-A13
Round 3 A1-B3 A2-B4 A3-B5 A4-B6 A5-B7 A6-B8 B9-A7 B10-A8 B11-A9 B12-A10 B13-A11 B1-A12 A13-B2
Round 4 B4-A1 B5-A2 B6-A3 B7-A4 B8-A5 A6-B9 A7-B10 A8-B11 A9-B12 A10-B13 A11-B1 B2-A12 B3-A13
Round 5 A1-B5 A2-B6 A3-B7 A4-B8 A5-B9 B10-A6 B11-A7 B12-A8 B13-A9 B1-A10 B2-A11 A12-B3 A13-B4
Round 6 B6-A1 B7-A2 B8-A3 B9-A4 A5-B10 A6-B11 A7-B12 A8-B13 A9-B1 A10-B2 B3-A11 B4-A12 B5-A13
Round 7 A1-B7 A2-B8 A3-B9 A4-B10 B11-A5 B12-A6 B13-A7 B1-A8 B2-A9 B3-A10 A11-B4 A12-B5 A13-B6
Round 8 B8-A1 B9-A2 B10-A3 A4-B11 A5-B12 A6-B13 A7-B1 A8-B2 A9-B3 B4-A10 B5-A11 B6-A12 B7-A13
Round 9 A1-B9 A2-B10 A3-B11 B12-A4 B13-A5 B1-A6 B2-A7 B3-A8 B4-A9 A10-B5 A11-B6 A12-B7 A13-B8
Round 10 B10-A1 B11-A2 A3-B12 A4-B13 A5-B1 A6-B2 A7-B3 A8-B4 B5-A9 B6-A10 B7-A11 B8-A12 B9-A13
Round 11 A1-B11 A2-B12 B13-A3 B1-A4 B2-A5 B3-A6 B4-A7 B5-A8 A9-B6 A10-B7 A11-B8 A12-B9 A13-B10
Round 12 B12-A1 A2-B13 A3-B1 A4-B2 A5-B3 A6-B4 A7-B5 B6-A8 B7-A9 B8-A10 B9-A11 B10-A12 B11-A13
Round 13 A1-B13 B1-A2 B2-A3 B3-A4 B4-A5 B5-A6 B6-A7 A8-B7 A9-B8 A10-B9 A11-B10 A12-B11 A13-B12


Note for all tables:

  • In the n-th round the player A1 plays with the player Bn.
  • Player A1 changes color in the next round.
  • In the first round the player An plays with the player Bn.
See also

See also

References

References

  1. Just, Tim; Burg, Daniel B (2003). U.S. Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess (5th ed.). McKay. p. 308. ISBN 0-8129-3559-4.
  2. Karpov, Anatoly; Roshal, Aleksandr (1980). Anatoly Karpov: Chess is My Life. Pergamo Press. p. 22. ISBN 0-08-023119-5.
  3. "FIDE bans title norms at Schiller and Scheveningen events". Chess Topics. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  4. Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1992). The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-866164-9.
External links